Learn how to make Royal Court Rice Cakes (Gungjung Tteokbokki), a traditional Korean rice cake dish with stir-fried beef, veggies, and a rich, savory-sweet sauce. It’s ready in just 30 minutes, and easy to customize your way!
What’s Included In This Post
If you love bold Korean street food, buckle up. Gungjung Tteokbokki is a must-try!
Flavor-wise, it’s right up there with my Ground Beef Bulgogi Bowl and Japchae recipes: deeply savory, slightly sweet, and loaded with umami. A lot of people don’t realize there’s a savory version of stir-fried rice cakes. Add this to your list of easy-to-cook Korean recipes!
This dish comes together quickly thanks to a short list of ingredients: chewy rice cakes, thinly sliced beef, fresh veggies, and a super simple, glossy stir-fry sauce.
Plus, it’s endlessly customizable. Whether you mix and match the veggies, play with the protein, or even make it meat-free, rest assured, your homemade royal court tteokbokki will be, well, worthy of royalty!
What is Gungjung Tteokbokki?
Gungjung Tteokbokki, also known as Royal Court Rice Cakes, is a savory, slightly sweet stir-fried rice cake dish that dates all the way back to Korea’s Joseon Dynasty. In fact, the word “gungjung” literally means “royal court,” because this dish was served to Korean kings and the noble class.
Note: This word is easily confused with “ganjang” for soy sauce, so you might also hear this dish referred to as, “soy sauce tteokbokki” or “ganjang tteokbokki”. It’s not entirely accurate, although soy sauce shows up in the recipe.
The classic dish features white rice cakes braised in a rich, umami-packed sauce with slices of stir-fried beef and veggies. Compared to the popular modern spicy version (Gochujang Tteokbokki, made with red pepper paste) you’ll find in modern Korean markets, this royal court version is milder, more balanced, and arguably more versatile — a great option for those who want a non-spicy tteokbokki.
It’s also a great option for home-style Korean cooking. Despite how delicious this dish is, you probably won’t see it on most restaurant menus. But luckily, it’s simple to make so anyone can enjoy it from the comfort of home!
Gungjung Tteokbokki Ingredients
- Rice cakes. The star of the meal! Look for garaetteok, the cylindrical Korean rice cakes often labeled “tteok for tteokbokki” or “sliced tteok.” You can find them at Korean or Asian grocery stores or online.
- A variety of vegetables, like red bell peppers, carrots, and yellow or sweet onions. Together, they bring sweetness, color, and crunch to this Korean rice cake stir-fry.
- Beef. For a more traditional version, use thinly sliced ribeye or sirloin instead. Sear the strips quickly to keep them tender.
- Green onions
- Sesame seeds
- Stir-fry sauce. This savory-sweet sauce is made from a mix of low-sodium soy sauce, toasted sesame oil, minced garlic, rice vinegar, sugar, and a pinch of MSG to round out the flavors (optional, but highly recommended!).
(full ingredient list and quantities in the recipe card below)
Street Smart Nutrition Tip: If you’re mindful of your grocery budget, you can also use ground beef for a less expensive alternative to steak. I use 85/15 ground beef because it’s not too lean, and the fat content adds richness to the soy sauce-based sauce.
Swaps and Substitutions
I love that you can easily mix and match the ingredients in royal court rice cakes without sacrificing the soul of the dish. The red bell pepper, onion, and carrot, for instance, add classic sweetness and crunch to your colorful dish. But any fresh veggies you have on hand work just as well. Think sliced zucchini, mushrooms, snap peas, baby corn, broccoli, cabbage, bok choy—you name it!
If you’re not into beef, chicken thighs, chicken breasts, or shrimp also work. You could even use ground chicken, pork, or turkey if that’s what you’ve got. Just make sure to brown your protein well before adding the sauce and rice cakes.
To keep things vegetarian or vegan, use tofu, seitan, or tempeh instead of beef. Plant-based ground meat, sliced shiitake mushrooms, or king oyster mushrooms can also be a delicious alternative that still bring a meaty texture and umami depth.
As for flavor boosters, a small amount of MSG adds a deep umami richness and a savory taste. But you can skip it or replace it with a bit of mushroom powder, a few drops of fish sauce, or a dash of extra soy sauce if you prefer. There’s plenty of room to experiment here, so make it yours!
How to Make Korean Royal Court Rice Cakes
This flavorful dish always has your back when you’re craving authentic Korean comfort food without the fuss. Here’s how to make it:
- Soak your rice cakes in a bowl of warm water while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- To make the sauce, stir the ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, stir-fry the onions and bell peppers, then add the carrots and continue cooking until tender-crisp. Transfer the veggies to a clean plate and set aside.
- Add the beef and the white parts of the green onions to the same pan and sauté them until the meat is fully browned and no pink remains.
- Drain the soaked rice cakes and add them to the pan with the beef. Pour in the sauce, reduce the heat slightly, and give it a good stir.
- Return the vegetables to the pan, and toss everything together. Garnish with the green onion tops and toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot.
Street Smart Nutrition Tip: Soaking the rice cakes is a critical step to avoid extra dishes. Without the soak, you’d have to bring a pot of water to a boil to simmer the rice cakes until tender. Skip that step with a 10 to 15 minute soak to help them cook evenly and absorb the sauce. If you toss them in dry, they will stay tough in the center and won’t absorb flavor as well. Trust me, the soak makes all the difference!
What to Serve with Gungjung Tteokbokki
While this dish can easily stand on its own, the traditional version of tteokbokki was served as part of a larger banchan-style Korean meal alongside several small side dishes. If you’re looking for that full experience, here are some great options to serve with it:
- A scoop of steamed white rice or kimchi fried rice will soak up any extra sauce.
- The tangy, spicy crunch of kimchi contrasts beautifully with the rich stir-fry.
- A cool, crisp, and spicy Korean cucumber salad (Oi Mchim) adds a refreshing contrast to the warm, chewy rice cakes.
Storing Leftover Royal Court Rice Cakes
Got leftovers? You’re in luck! Gungjung tteokbokki makes a great next-day meal. Just let it cool completely, transfer it to an airtight container, and keep it in the fridge for 3 to 4 days.
I don’t typically recommend freezing this dish because rice cakes tend to get overly chewy when thawed and reheated. However, you can freeze it in individual portions for up to 1 month if needed.
To reheat, add the rice cakes to a skillet over medium-low heat with a splash of water or broth and stir them occasionally until heated through. This helps rehydrate the rice cakes so they stay soft and tender. If you’re in a rush, zap them in the microwave in 30-second bursts instead.
Royal Court Rice Cakes (Gungjung Tteokbokki)
Ingredients
- 1 bag rice cakes, about 1 1/4 lb
- 3/4 lb thinly sliced ribeye or sirloin steak, or 3/4 lb ground beef (85/15)
- 1 red bell pepper, sliced
- 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
- 1/2 yellow or sweet onion, sliced
- 2 green onions, sliced and divided into white and green parts
- toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
For the Sauce:
- 2 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 3-4 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1 to 2 tsp rice vinegar
- 1 to 2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp MSG, monosodium glutamate
Instructions
- Soak the rice cakes in warm water as you prepare the vegetables.
- To make the sauce, stir all ingredients together. Set aside.
- Heat a large nonstick skillet or pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and bell peppers and stir fry about three minutes. Once the onions start to soften, add the carrots. Cook another 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently, until the veggies are tender crisp. Transfer to a plate or prep bowl.
- In the same pan, brown the beef with the whites of the green onions over medium-high to high heat. Avoid stirring too often if you want browning to develop.
- Once there's no pink remaining, drain the rice cakes and add to the skillet along with the sauce. Reduce heat to avoid scorching and stir to combine.
- Once the rice cakes are softened and chewy (about 2-3 minutes), add the cooked vegetables back to the pan. Stir to combine, then garnish with green onions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot.
Notes
Nutrition
Royal Court Rice Cakes FAQS
What does “gungjung” mean?
“Gungjung” means “royal court” in Korean. Gungjung “tteokbokki” is the original, savory version of tteokbokki that was served to Korean royalty.
Is Gungjung Tteokbokki gluten-free?
It can be! Make the stir-fry sauce with gluten-free soy sauce or tamari instead of regular soy sauce, and double-check that your rice cakes are gluten-free (some may contain wheat starch as a binder). Everything else in the dish is naturally gluten-free.
Can I make this dish ahead of time?
You can prep the sauce and chop the vegetables 1 or 2 days ahead to save time, but for the best texture, cook the rice cakes fresh.
Why are my royal court rice cakes so chewy?
An unpleasant chewy texture usually means that the rice cakes weren’t soaked long enough or weren’t simmered in the sauce for long enough. Add a splash of water to the pan and continue cooking until they soften and have that perfect chewy-tender bite.
If you try this royal court tteokbokki recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out in the comments below! And if you’re craving more Korean-inspired flavors, you’ve got to try my Gochujang Meatballs, Korean Tuna Rice Bowl (Chamchi Deopbap), or Daegu Jorim next!
As always, thanks for stopping by the Street Smart Nutrition blog! Cheers to more fearlessly nourishing meals!
Questions & Reviews
I can’t wait to make this! I like this mild version. I can’t do hot. LOL.
I had this once at a restaurant. I loved it, but the heat was too much for me. I can’t wait to try this mild version!
Before now, I’d only had sweet rice cakes. I was excited to try this Korean savory version and was not disappointed! These were tasty! Great recipe.
This was such a fun dish to try! I loved the savory-sweet flavor and the chewy rice cakes!
A flavorful and delicious dish to make, and I think this looks so easy to make!
Oh wow, it looks delicious! I will be making this recipe over the weekend!
This recipe turned out so yummy! It was easy to prepare and the entire family loved them. I can’t wait to make the rice cakes again!!